Homeschooling is More Beneficial to Children

An estimated two million children are homeschooled in the United States each year by their parents or professional tutors instead of through the public or private education system. (Ray, 2004) Parents have been homeschooling their children for thousands of years and only now are we seeing homeschooling gain popularity and acceptance. Homeschooling provides children with a more extensive education than public education programs. Homeschooling allows children to have a more vast knowledge of social norms and societal standards than children in public education programs. Homeschooling provides parents with the ability to give the best education possible to their children, better than public or private schools.

Homeschooling is not a new concept or practice and has been practiced for thousands of years. Homeschooling is an educational alternative in which a child learns outside the public and private school arena, often in their own home taught by their parents. (Frequently Asked Questions, 2008) Nearly 2 million children are homeschooled and this trend is on the rise in the United States. (Reich, 2002) Homeschooling is no longer done just for religious reasons. More than half of homeschooling parents do so not because of religious reasons but rather because of deteriorating public school conditions and lack of other educational options for their children. (Isenberg, 2007)

Parents are choosing this alternative method of teaching because it's proven to be more beneficial for their children than attending a public school or even a private school. In order to provide a proper education parents do not need any formal training in education or the subjects they teach. Parents are a child's first teacher starting from infancy. John Holt believed that children learn the best when they aren't held to a structured curriculum. He also believed that children learn the best when allowed to "pursue his own interests with the support and encouragement of parents and other adults." (Lines, 2000, p. 6) Parents are able to customize education to fit the needs and interests of their children. Jean Piaget, a child development and education theorist, believed, "that children are active participants in the construction of their own knowledge." (Isbell & Raines, 2007) By being able to tailor their children's education parents are allowing their children to be active participants in their education, which many private and public schools do not do or allow.

Along with tailoring education to a child, homeschooling allows the child to learn more material than any public education system can provide. Due to funding cuts, overcrowding and lack of teachers, schools are forced to cut programs which are deemed not important to learning such as arts and music. Art and music are two of the most important forms of learning, especially for younger children. "Appropriate early artistic experiences assist children in finding meaning about themselves and their world." (Isbell & Raines, 2007, p. 106) Homeschooling allows for all subjects including art and music, to be taught to a child. This means a child leaves the homeschooling environment with more knowledge, understanding, and a broader educational background.

Studies over the past 20 years have shown that homeschooled children score in the 65th to 85th percentile while public school children typically score in the 50th percentile on standardized tests. (Ray, 2004) The child's academic achievements do not depend on the educational achievements of the parents. Parents with little to no educational background in education are able to provide a more extensive education for their children than public schools have to offer. A family's income also has no bearing on how extensive the education is that a child is provided. Commonly children who are homeschooled come from middle class families with two parents in the home. (Ray, 2004)

Parents have access to more information for teaching than the public education system has to offer. Not only do parents have access to the materials that public education programs use they also have access to alternative teaching materials provided online, through co-op programs, connections with other homeschooling parents, and access to training materials from all over the nation provided through homeschooling associations such as the Homeschool Association of California (HSC). Homeschool associations for many states provide resources, curriculum, access to materials and other parents knowledge and most important of all, yearly conferences. At homeschool association conferences parents come together to learn about new educational resources and theories, get help in areas they are weak, and expand their homeschooling knowledge. For the children a graduation is held for all age ranges who would be graduating in public school. Typically associations organize a prom-like dance for the children to attend and other activities are offered to the children which they do not get to participate in while being homeschooled.

In addition to the homeschool associations in each state parents have access to local homeschooling co-ops. Homeschooling co-ops are groups of homeschooling parents in a specific area who exchange services for services. Parents can come together to help each other educate the children within the co-op, providing the best education possible. As well as helping parents who are weak within certain areas of education, the co-op provides a place for the children to come together and work on course work with each other or go on field trips together. (Frequently Asked Questions, 2008) A homeschooling co-op allows a child to participate in similar experiences to public school education but still remain outside of public and private education system.

As well as associations and co-ops some school districts have programs for homeschooled children, who allow for online distance learning through the school and participation in extracurricular activities. Some school districts have homeschooling resource centers staffed by teachers that can be accessed by parents at their convenience. (Reich, 2002) These programs allow parents to make use of all available options to provide the best education to their child, especially when they are lacking in information in certain educational areas. When these tools are utilized by the parent a child will never be under-educated.

The reason that parents are so successful at providing a good education for their child is because the child has one on one time with their parent which allows for a more in depth learning experience for the child. As well as one on one time, the child also is encouraged to move at their own pace, which allows the child to not be left behind should they have trouble with a subject, and if a child learns a subject quickly it allows them to move on without having to wait for the rest of the class to finish. Homeschooling allows a child to constantly be learning what interests them and at their pace, never having to slow down or speed up to keep with the rest of the class. Homeschooling doesn't take either a summer or winter break. This allows for continuous learning, instead of having a 6 to 8 week break during the year which forces public school children to review what was taught the previous year or semester and then move on to new information taking precious learning time away from the child.

The self esteem of children who are homeschooled is often higher and children don't have to deal with bullying or negative peer pressure. Studies have also found that homeschooled children have less behavioral problems than public school educated children. (Lines, 2000) By allowing children to set the pace of their schooling, set their goals and manage their learning, parents build up self esteem and allow children to transition properly into adult life and adult situations. Having great self esteem allows a child to be able to work in stressful situations, easily work in a team situations and make many friends or associates with ease.

Homeschooled children participate in a variety of activities that allow for socialization and understanding of social interactions with other children and adults. Activities such as league sports, co-ops, jobs, art programs, and city youth programs allow children to interact with each other and learn social skills that would commonly be learned in public or private school. Although these activities are not necessary to learn social skills they help prepare a child for adult life.

As well as being provided a better education and socialization children exit the homeschooling environment better socialized and with a greater ability to adapt to societal standards. Upon exiting the homeschooled setting children are able to enter the work force with a greater ability to work within their field. They also enter the university, typically earlier than children in public education programs, and are able to excel at the university level. (Ray, 2004) One recent study found that homeschooled children are more likely to be politically active than public school children, because they are exposed to more world and national information and issues than a public school child would be exposed to while in school. (Stevens, 2003)

Homeschooled children are also more likely to get into leadership roles, while at the university or in the work force. They are more involved in politics within the community and are more concerned with the community as a whole. This concern comes from watching their parents fight for the right to homeschool even though politicians and other adults discourage it or look down upon it. Also because of learning about different cultures, beliefs and religions, homeschooled children are more likely to fight that everyone be treated equally within the country and are more likely to fight for everyone to enjoy basic human rights. Homeschooled children tend to have more leadership qualities than those who attend public and private schools because they are given the chance to lead their own education and schooling. (Ray, 2004)

By having a broader education children are more prepared for university level courses as well as entering the work force. Children also have a greater understanding of the world around them, how it works, and how to work in it. Public schooled children do not have as broad an education and shows in their inability to adapt to university life as well and their lack of work ethic. Homeschooled children typically have better grades at the University level. A study done in 2004 cited, "The academic performance analyses indicate that home school graduates are as ready for college as traditional high school graduates and that they perform as well on national college assessment tests as traditional high school graduates" (Ray, 2004, p. 7) Homeschooled children scored higher on assessment tests such as the ACT and SAT. In the 1999-2000 school year homeschooled children scored between 30 to 60 points higher on the verbal and math sections of the ACT and SAT. (Ray, 2004)

While attending a University homeschooled children are more active in school activities and within classes. They have no problem adapting to structured learning and working with other students should the need arise. They excel and often score higher on tests than students who attended public school. Typically homeschooled children enter the University earlier than public school children, meaning they finished school earlier as well. Universities are just recently starting to adapt admissions rules and standards to account for homeschooled children and are also offering scholarships to homeschooled children to recognize their progress and achievements. (Ray, 2004) Some universities also recognize graduating from a homeschooling home as being a greater achievement than graduating from a public school. Universities recognize that homeschooled children have strong self-discipline, self-initiative and motivation. (Ray, 2004) Along with finishing university earlier homeschooled children typically continue on to get higher degrees as well.

Homeschooled children also know how to interact within a company office setting. Typically they are more able to adapt to challenges and stressful situations because of their personal learning experiences which allowed them to manage their own school work and speed. Homeschooled children are better able to manage time, goals, ideas, and are highly successful in what the career they chose to pursue. Homeschooled children typically excel in their career and have a far better work ethic than children who were part of the public and private education system. Homeschooled children better understand their limits and know how to set reasonable and attanable goals for themselves due to having to set them for themselves while being homeschooled. In an office situation this proves to be very helpful because they set goals for themselves and they are able to complete their tasks within a reasonable amount of time or within deadlines that are set by their employers.

Homeschooled children have a greater respect for people as well. In co-ops the children are exposed to many different types of people; different backgrounds, cultures, beliefs and they learn about those differences and how to respect them. This leads to an adult with a better understanding of society as a whole as well as a greater respect for people who are different. Homeschooled children understand how people should be treated and are more respectful towards co-workers, classmates, authority figures than public school children. Homeschooled children are also able to adapt to people's attitudes and beliefs and aren't overwhelmed by it. They understand better that the world is full of diversity and are accepting of those that are different. They're even willing to learn more should they not fully understand so as to better understand their co-workers, classmates, etc. Homeschooled children aren't overwhelmed with the differences that the world has to offer, they embrace those differences and use them as an opportunity to learn and grow.

Homeschooled children exit their educational programs with a better education, with a greater understanding of the world, with more social skills to function in a work or school setting and with a greater ability to adapt to change than a child who was part of the public or private school system. Homeschooling has evolved over the years and is no longer about religious training. More and more parents are choosing this viable option for their children because they recognize the benefits it has over public or private education. As more parents chose to homeschool their children it will become more socially acceptable which will lead to more support, activities, and resources for parents. Homeschooling is and will continue to provide the best alternative to public or private education that a parent can find, and our children will greatly benefit from it.

Works Cited:

Frequently Asked Questions. (2008). Retrieved 08 03, 2008, from Homeschool Association of California: http://www.hsc.org/faqs.html

Isbell, R. T., & Raines, S. C. (2007). Creativity and the Arts with Young Children. Clifto Park: Thomson Delmar Learning.

Isenberg, E. (2007). What Have We Learned about Homeschooling? Peabody Journal of Education , 82, 387-409.

Lines, P. M. (2000). Homeschooling Comes of Age. Public Interest (140), 74-85.

Ray, B. D. (2004). Homeschoolers to College: What the Research Shows Us. Journal of College Admissions (185), 5-11.

Reich, R. (2002). The Civic Perils of Homeschooling. Educational Leadership (59), 56-59.

Stevens, M. (2003). The Normalisation of Homeschooling in the USA. Evaluation and Research in Education , 17, 90-100.